Medicine
by redskiez
Summary: Obito didn't think he could get sick. He's wrong.


Obito stifles another cough.

Unfortunately for him, the tremor that wracks his body is not subtle enough to slip by Deidara.

"Would you stop that?" Deidara says.

Tobi sniffles. He doesn't say anything.

Deidara sighs and puts down his clay. He stopped molding it about twenty minutes ago, his concentration broken because of Tobi's constant sniffling and muffled coughing.

"Are you sick, yeah?" Deidara asks.

"No," Tobi says hoarsely.

Deidara stands and walks away.

Obito sighs, feeling another cough bubbling up his itchy throat, and he clears the phlegm away. He never thought he could get sick and if he had known, he wouldn't have stood in the rain so much.

The sun soaks through his cloak and it warms him, making him feel just a little bit better. He closes his eyes and then startles when he feels Deidara nudge him.

"Get in," Deidara says, holding the door.

"What?" Tobi says.

"Get in," Deidara repeats.

"But it's nice out," Tobi says, "and senpai was working on his clay."

"Can't work with you coughing down my neck, hm," Deidara says. "Get in or I'll lock you out and leave you in your misery."

Obito purses his lips. He thinks he was about fourteen the last time he was ordered around like that. He doesn't argue and stands - with difficulty - and follows Deidara in.

The hideout is a little warmer than before. It makes Obito feel a little bit better and he huffs in relief.

"Sit," Deidara says, startling Obito once more.

Obito sits down on the couch and doesn't do much when Deidara throws a blanket over him. He wraps it around his neck a little tighter.

Deidara reappears beside him with a cup and a bowl. He didn't even notice Deidara slipping away.

"Scoot," Deidara says, kicking his leg.

"Ouch," Tobi says. "You're very harsh, senpai."

"Ugh," Deidara says. "You sound horrible. Don't speak, yeah."

Tobi lets out a whine that ends in a cough.

Deidara sighs, exasperated. He puts down the bowl on the coffee table and then hands Tobi the cup. "Here," he says. "Drink."

Obito doesn't move to take the cup.

Deidara clicks his tongue and then holds it closer to Tobi's face. "Drink," he says. "It's ginger tea, yeah."

Obito licks his lips. "I don't need to be babied, senpai," Tobi says.

"You clearly do," Deidara says. "Drink," he says more firmly.

"I would have to take off my mask for that," Tobi says.

"That's probably why you're sick," Deidara says. "You're always cooped up in that mask, breathing in germs. Take it off and get some fresh air, you dolt, hm."

When Obito doesn't move to take off his mask, Deidara puts down the cup and reaches for it.

"Senpai!" Tobi says.

"Take it off or I'll take it off for you," Deidara says.

Obito jerks his head away when Deidara moves to grab his mask again. "I'll do it," Tobi grumbles. He ignores Deidara's flushed cheeks as he lets the blanket fall down on his lap and he takes off his mask.

Deidara's cheeks redden even more and Obito wonders if he might have caught what he has.

"Good," Deidara says after clearing his throat. He pushes the cup into Tobi's face, almost spilling its contents all over him. Tobi sniffs and places the mask on the table, taking the cup from Deidara's hand.

It's too hot to the touch. Obito blows on it a little, glad that his arm doesn't feel much pain, and takes a sip. The ginger helps clear his head a little.

"Thanks, senpai," Tobi says.

"No problem," Deidara says. He is not looking at Tobi, busying himself with unnecessary stirring of the bowl. Tobi straightens his spine and sees that it is a bowl of chicken noodle soup.

"Aw, senpai," Tobi says and then he coughs. "You're taking such good care of me."

"Not like I have a choice, hm," Deidara mumbles. "You've already distracted me from my work, so I might as well."

Tobi hums and wonders if that's true.

"Here," Deidara says, hoisting the bowl and holding it out to Tobi. "Eat."

"I can't," Tobi says.

"Why not? You can drink, so you can eat," Deidara says.

Obito sniffs. The noodles smell good but his stomach churns at the idea of eating it. "I'd feel sick," Tobi admits.

Deidara shakes his head, dipping the chopsticks into the food and holding out the strands. "Nonsense," he says. "It is just your stomach being funny, you'll feel better after you have some food in you, yeah."

Tobi shakes his head again. Deidara doesn't even see it, staring at the noodles like they're the most interesting thing in the world. Obito downs his ginger tea and puts the cup down, then wraps himself in the blanket again.

"I can't," he repeats.

"Yes, you can," Deidara says. He moves closer to Tobi, their knees knocking up against each other's, and then he holds the food closer.

Obito turns his face away.

"You better stop acting like a child," Deidara says.

"No," Tobi says.

Deidara holds the noodles closer.

"Fine," Tobi says and takes a bite.

It takes him a while to chew, his stomach complaining the entire while, but he ignores the feeling and forces himself to eat until Deidara seems satisfied.

Deidara stands from the couch and Tobi leans back, groaning as his sore muscles complain, and closes his eyes.

Obito dozes off for a bit. The next time he opens his eyes, blinking the sleep from them, he sees Deidara kneeling beside him, placing a warm towel on top of his forehead.

"Shut up," Deidara says before Tobi can even open his mouth. He holds out another cup of ginger tea and the scent comforts Obito.

"Thanks," Obito says, voice too hoarse and tired to keep up the façade. Deidara doesn't comment on it and Obito hopes that he thinks it's just the side-effect of being sick.

Deidara just stares at him, blue eyes soft with something Obito can't name, and says, "No problem, hm."

Obito downs the tea, the ginger scorching his raw throat, but he ignores it and lets the warmth seep through his body and comfort his aching bones.

When Obito next wakes, Deidara is by his side again, this time carrying a warm glass of water and some pills.

"Here," Deidara says, voice softer than Obito remembers.

Obito doesn't take the cup or the medicine, only grumbling and trying to turn to his side.

Deidara shoves Tobi's shoulder. "Medicine," he says.

"No," Obito grumbles. He screws his eyes shut and tries to go back to sleep.

Deidara grips his chin and forces Tobi to face him. Obito forces his eyes open and is just about to ask Deidara to leave him alone when Deidara kisses him.

Obito's jaw slackens and after a moment of hesitation, Deidara uses his tongue to shove the pills into Tobi's mouth. Deidara only pulls away after a few seconds, the two of them parting with a wet sound.

Deidara wipes his mouth with the back of his hand and then quickly puts the rim of the glass against Tobi's mouth.

Obito, shocked, can only accept it and he takes his medicine.

As he finishes the last of the water, his eyes keep wandering back to Deidara's lips, glossy and a little swollen. Deidara seems to know, his pink tongue peeking out and dragging across his upper lip.

Obito's gaze follows it until it disappears behind those lips again.

"You're going to get sick," is the only thing Obito can say.

Deidara laughs and Obito thinks the color pink really suits Deidara. "I'll risk it, yeah," Deidara says. He puts the glass away and then leans down for another kiss.

`55

Tobi takes the thermometer from Deidara's mouth, shaking it a little. He lifts it up into the light and squints at the reading.

"Yeah," he says, "you've got quite the fever."

Deidara grumbles and buries himself deeper into his mountain of stolen blankets and pillows. Obito looks down at him, grinning.

"Still think it was worth the risk, senpai?"

"I want chicken noodle soup, hm."

Obito laughs. "One chicken noodle soup, coming right up."

* * *

Hey guys, Red here!

This is beta'd by frozenCinders.

TheTsuchikage said:  
Hi. I only recently found your profile and have been bingeing your work. I love love love all of your writing. I was wondering if you would like to write a story where Obito gets sick and Deidara takes care of him. Sorry if you already wrote something like that. Thank you for writing all of the stories you have. I just love the pairing and everything and I just gush when you post. Thank you.

This was submitted back in August, I'm not even sure if TheTsuchikage remembers! So sorry for the wait! I hope you enjoyed it, TheTsuchikage! This is dedicated to you. Thank you for submitting!

I hope you all enjoyed reading it and if you did (or didn't), please remember to leave a review telling me why (or why not)!

If you haven't already, you should follow me on Tumblr (redskiez dot net). I post updates, drawings, and cats on there. I will also answer any and all asks, so if you have any questions or requests, you can send them to me through Tumblr! My inbox is always open.

Did you know that I have a ko-fi? You can go to ko-fi dot com slash redskiez to buy me a coffee!


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